Christiana Rose - Page 3

Roald Dahl’s beastly reptile slithers into Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in a dazzling musical version which proves as entertaining for adults as it is for the children it is written for. With a witty book and lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra, infectious songs by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab, and a playful design which bursts with colour, this is a joyful piece of family theatre which fizzes with invention and charm.

Josh Elton makes an assured and highly memorable Fringe debut with Away With The Fairies, a show which captures both the unfiltered chaos of the life of a comic and the mythic absurdity which shapes it. With an energetic blend of sharp gags, playful storytelling and sincerity, Elton proves himself to be one to watch. 

Welsh comedian Steffan Alun brings warmth, wit and a proudly offbeat perspective to his debut Fringe hour, Steffan Alun: Stand Up. Having honed sets for years on the free fringe, Alun finally embraces a full-length slot with confidence and charm, blending education, sexuality and pop culture through the lens of his Welsh identity and neurodivergence.

Tartan Tabletop is a Dungeons and Dragons panel show which thrives on live comedic improvisation, uncertainty and risks, which results in riotous game play. By merging the world of fantasy role-play with quick-fire wit, Dungeon Master Josh Aitken steers the action by narrating the story, setting challenges and plays all the non-player characters. The unpredictable nature of a giant twenty-sided dice is thrown by an audience member called Colin, who seems at ease, with a great knowledge of D&D. 

Written and Performed by Lizzie T Ollemache and David Ladderman from Rollicking Entertainment, a riot of magic, slapstick and sparkle is brought to the stage with Messy Magic, a family show which manages to be silly, but skilful. With a recommended age of three and above, the performance has clearly been designed to keep young audiences giggling, while still offering enough for parents to remain engaged in its physical comedy and acrobatic flair.

There is nothing quite like the delicious mix of chaos and charm that Josh Burton brings to his gleeful children’s show Signor Baffo. In this riotous kitchen, the audience finds themselves whisked into the clattering, splattering world of a hapless head of washing up who has somehow been left in charge while the formidable Signor Figaro is off sick. From the very first moment, it is clear that nothing will run smoothly, which is precisely what makes the show so irresistible.

Goldspun Media’s Level Up! begins with a promising burst of nostalgic energy. The familiar chimes of Sonic the Hedgehog’s theme and screen visuals give the impression that the audience is in for a sharp, inventive musical about modern life refracted through the lens of gaming. Unfortunately, what follows feels more like a clunky side quest than a main mission.

From the moment Ted Milligan strides on to the stage to the roar of football anthems, the atmosphere is electric. His debut hour, United, is a masterclass in character-led mockumentary, charting the fortunes of the fictional Crubchester United F.C. affectionately known as the Crubs, as they battle to reclaim their place in the league.

In her debut hour, Sharon Wanjohi strides on stage with dynamic energy on a mission to share her comedic mock wisdom. Wanjohi takes aim at the self-help industry, with the precision of someone who finds the guides, and early risers beyond questionable. 

From the creators of Hold On To Your Butts, Recent Cutbacks return with a gloriously inventive UK premiere which transforms an epic fantasy film into a joyous, lo fi theatrical romp. This is not simply a parody but a love letter to the genre, brimming with clever theatrical tricks and affection for its source.

Front Room Productions and Lawrence Batley Theatre present The Uncrackable Case, a courtroom drama which reimagines fairy tale characters in a tabloid-fuelled whodunnit. Humpty Dumpty has fallen from the Death Wall, and Jill is accused of egg-icide in a trial which grips a nation eager for scandal.

Dear Annie, I Hate You is a visceral, captivating account of survival which fuses raw storytelling with inventive theatricality. Written and performed by Samantha Ipema, this semi-autobiographical work confronts the life-altering impact of a brain aneurysm diagnosis at the age of twenty, crafting a narrative which is as darkly funny, as it is deeply affecting.

Chloe Petts love of Big Naturals, regales with a bold and brilliantly crafted hour, in which she tackles her favourite body parts, questions her previously entrenched relationship with lad culture and inspects her own evolving identity.

In her triumphant return to the Fringe, Amy Annette brings Busy Body to The Baby Grand, a shipping container transformed into an intimate comedy boudoir, complete with a floral display and the nostalgic welcoming harmonies of The Andrews Sisters

Dream Space by Creative Group SSAK is a shimmering piece of theatrical magic, transforming the everyday into the extraordinary through inventive puppetry, music, and movement. From the moment the playful kazoo ensemble opening sets the tone, the production invites audiences of all ages into its surreal island world, where the line between reality and fantasy melts away.

The Revel Puck Circus’s latest collaboration with Underbelly is set in the faraway land of the Circus Hub on the Meadows in Edinburgh, in a sweet, acrobatic retelling of The Ugly Duckling.

Rajiv Karia’s Man Alive! is a thoughtful and sharply observed hour, which asks big questions with a light, playful touch. Karia discusses male friendships, issues around maintaining contact, social connection and weaves this into the everyday irritations and anxieties of modern life and with a lens of warmth, wit, and self-deprecation, skilfully keeping the audience laughing consistently.

Gloriously unhinged BAFTA-nominated newcomers Ada and Bron bring their chaotic brand of sketch character comedy to the Edinburgh Fringe with The Origin of Love, a fast-paced, surreal and delightfully filthy exploration of romance, in all of its very strangest forms.

Douglas Widick’s Paperclip is a witty, genre-bending thrill ride, which imagines a world where the fate of humanity rests in the hands or rather, the wires of Microsoft Word’s long-forgotten writing assistant Clippy.

It’s not often that villains are the stars of children’s shows, but Freckle Productions’ adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s The Baddies gleefully flips the script. At Cadogan Hall, this wickedly silly romp delivers a charming, high-energy musical, which keeps its youngest audience members giggling, while slipping in theatrical polish to keep the grown-ups engaged.